Adele’s Musical Remorse: How Her Unfulfilled Dream of Collaborating with Amy Winehouse Haunts Her

Amy Winehouse was an undeniable force in music. With her soulful vocals, retro aesthetic, and deeply personal lyrics, she ushered in a new era of soul-influenced pop and left an indelible mark on the industry. Though her career was tragically cut short when she died of alcohol poisoning in 2011 at just 27 years old, her influence lives on through the many artists she has inspired. One such artist is Adele, who has repeatedly expressed regret that she never got to collaborate with her musical hero.

In various interviews over the years, Adele has spoken about her admiration for Winehouse and her sadness that they never got to work together. Though Adele found mainstream success first, catapulting to fame with her album 19 and hits like “Chasing Pavements” in 2008, she has credited Winehouse’s 2006 album Back to Black as a huge inspiration for her own soulful, confessional songwriting style. “I was so obsessed with that album,” she told Rolling Stone in 2015. “I could see there was so much more to her than people gave her credit for.”

Winehouse’s sudden death when Adele was only 23 years old clearly affected the young singer deeply. “I don’t think I ever knew what I wanted to do until I heard Back to Black,” she told RS. “And then I knew. Like I just wanted to be Amy Winehouse.” She went on to say that one of her biggest regrets was not being able to collaborate with Winehouse. “I’m so angry at myself that I never got to work with Amy Winehouse,” she said. “She was the most incredible artist I’ve ever seen.”

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This remorse has lingered for Adele throughout the highs and lows of her own career. Now over a decade into her success as one of the world’s best-selling musical acts, Adele continues to grieve the loss of Winehouse, both for the world and for herself. “I should have been looking after her, but I didn’t know that,” she admitted in a 2021 interview with Vogue magazine. “There’s so many what-ifs around Amy. Even after she died, I was still chasing her…I just wanted to be in the presence of her. I don’t think I knew what grief was until I felt it for Amy.”

There are many reasons why Adele feels so much regret over not having the chance to know and collaborate with Winehouse. Here’s a closer look at why this unfulfilled dream still haunts Adele’s thoughts and creative ambitions:

They Connected Through Their Musical Styles

Though Adele became famous first, she gravitated heavily toward Winehouse’s musical vibe, often calling her the artist who made Adele want to be a musician herself. Even from her debut album 19, Adele showed hints of the retro soul-pop flavors that Winehouse perfected on Back to Black. They each pulled from influences like girl groups from the ‘50s/’60s and jazz singers, funneling the past through a contemporary lens. Winehouse may have sparked Adele’s flame, but Adele brought her own fire to the style. Many music critics and fans have connected the two over the years, praising their throwback sensibilities combined with intensely personal lyrics. A collaboration between the two could have built beautifully on the foundation they laid.

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Their Voices Would Have Blended Perfectly

One of the biggest losses in the two not getting to collaborate is how their voices would have joined forces. Adele and Winehouse each boasted husky, honey-dipped vocals with texture and soulfulness beyond their years. Winehouse tended to stay in her lower register, with smoky purrs and vivid color. Adele generally built her vocals from a deeper starting point up to her belting range. When imagining the two harmonizing and trading verses on a song, it’s easy to hear how their timbres would complement each other. Adele herself has commented how hearing Winehouse made Adele realize she actually liked her own voice for once. Together, their vocals would have meshed with beautiful chemistry.

Both Were Strong Songwriters in Their Own Right

Beyond their singing ability, Adele and Winehouse were both praised for their songwriting skills, with each penning lyrics that were personal and resonated with audiences. Winehouse was a master of clever wordplay and mixing biting wit with vulnerability, while Adele connected through baring her emotions. Whether the two would have collaborated on original songs or covered classics in new ways, it’s tragic we never got to experience their talents blending together via lyrics and composition. Adele clearly respected Winehouse’s artistry tremendously, and the feeling likely would have been mutual.

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They Could Have Pushed Each Other Creatively

Great collaborations don’t just combine existing strengths; they can push artists to grow in new directions too. We’ll never know exactly what Adele and Winehouse might have motivated each other to do differently. Maybe Winehouse would have tapped into a more acoustic, stripped-down side, while Adele could have unleashed more of her fire and funkiness. What seems certain is that they would have inspired each other, challenging themselves and expanding each other’s comfort zones. A chance to work together could have fueled both their creative journeys forward in exciting ways.

Their Bond Over the London Scene

Though she rose to fame in America too, Winehouse was known for reinvigorating the London music scene in the 2000s. As a fellow British musician who found fame with her own organic ascent, Adele followed in those London roots. Both got their start in the UK jazz club circuit before becoming pop sensations who carried distinctly British flavors forward into the mainstream. The overlap in their London upbringings and timelines surely would have bonded them together, potentially leading to more informal collaborations in the clubs or other small venues where their stories began. Their British connection would have strengthened their artistic relationship.

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Shared Experience Navigating Stardom

By the late 2000s, both Adele and Winehouse were dealing with a fast-paced rise to fame and the pressures that came with it. As two young women suddenly thrust into the spotlight, having to adjust to celebrity status, I’m sure they could have bonded over the highs and lows of that journey. They may have found solace in venting to each other about the harder parts of that ride. And they could have celebrated the exciting parts of fame together too. Shared wisdom from navigating sudden stardom might have kept them anchored. It’s another layer to the relationship we can only imagine.

We’ll Never Know the Musical “What Ifs”

At the end of the day, Adele seems to regret we’ll simply never know what could have been when it comes to her and Winehouse joining their gifts. We can speculate over what unrecorded songs, unplanned concerts, and undocumented jam sessions they might have created together. But that magical, unpredictable, once-in-a-lifetime artistic fusion will remain a hypothetical. Adele clearly feels robbed of not only knowing Winehouse as a peer and friend but also hearing firsthand what their two towering talents could have dreamt up. That haunts her—and likely many grieving fans—when imagining the duets and divine collaborations that never had the chance to be realized.

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Though the world tragically lost Winehouse 10 years ago, she remains timeless as an icon and inspiration. And for artists like Adele who keep her spirit alive, we at least get a glimpse of the impact she had. Adele makes sure Winehouse’s fame and legacy live on whenever she talks about her as an influence and musical icon. And there’s deep comfort in knowing that Winehouse’s voice and songs will continue touching people for decades to come. Music is immortal in that way, keeping our lost geniuses alive. Adele helps amplify that gift of longevity simply by highlighting Winehouse’s legacy and vocalizing her profound respect. There may be no duets, but the artistic bond still shines bright.